Facebook hit the internet in 2007 and was an instant hit, particularly among millennials. Other social networks such as Google Plus, Twitter, and Instagram followed within a few years and enjoyed similar success. Now however, reports indicate some social media networks, particularly Facebook, may be becoming passé. Today, we’ll examine whether that’s true and what marketers in all fields can learn about their own social media presence from the rumors.
Is the Bloom Fading for Facebook?
The answer to this question depends on who you ask. For instance, nineteen-year-old Andrew Watts, a marketing minor at the University of Texas-Austin recently underwent an interview from Digital Music News regarding Facebook’s current status. In the interview, Watts stated Facebook is awkward and no longer cool to teens, but that it’s “annoying” if people don’t have Facebook.
Other analysts, however, contend that Watts is only talking about a certain incarnation of Facebook. Forbes contributor Eric Jackson, for example, acknowledges that “the old Facebook is dead,” but the keyword here is “old.” Recent studies indicate Facebook itself is alive and well. In fact, because Mark Zuckerberg has “studied history” and “[taken to heart] the idea that only the paranoid survive,” Facebook is set to reincarnate as a conglomerate that will ingest competing social networks.
What Can Marketers Learn from This?
There are several lessons marketers can glean from Facebook. These lessons will help them improve their websites and overall internet presence, and include:
- Target your audience, but keep it broad. Facebook is not targeted to any specific person or group. It’s an open, free site inviting people to network, catch up with friends, make new friends, and relax. In other words, Facebook is targeted toward people with a need to socialize. Marketers should figure out what their core audience needs most and broadly gear their sites toward it. Does the audience need information on metal vs. wood ceilings? How to make sure children stay safe in the sun? Are they simply looking for entertainment? If you can answer this question, you can build a successful network.
- Get personal. Facebook works because it encourages people to share their lives’ details. Obviously, this sometimes goes too far and as a businessperson you don’t need that to happen. Yet you can use personal touches. For example, offer a few key personalization options for your product.
- Be fun. Facebook works because it’s friendly. Stay professional, but give your website a warm, fairly colloquial tone when appropriate. Use calls to action that invite people to invest in you rather than commanding them to do it.
Our social media team believes Facebook is far from fading and will continue to play a major role in personal and business activity. Need help with your Facebook marketing? Contact us at SteerPoint!